Compare towns
Laconia vs Meredith vs Belmont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Laconia has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Belmont has the most homeowners (82.1%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Laconia | Meredith | Belmont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,085Highest |
6,758Lowest |
7,392 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±3.9Lowest 5% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
47.2±3.5 9% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.4%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.2% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
19.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Laconia and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,218±$12k 26% below NH |
$87,019±$19kHighest 12% below NH |
$69,063±$21kLowest 30% below NH |
| Meredith and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,300±$16k 15% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$316,300±$31kLowest 21% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,224±$107Highest 18% below NH |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
$996±$129Lowest 33% below NH |
| Laconia and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,484Lowest 33% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$5,585Highest 16% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±10.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
46.8%±10.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Laconia and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
82.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 6% below NH |
| Work from home | 13.5%±3.8 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #105 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #92 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Laconia School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Shaker Regional School District |
| High school in town | Laconia High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Belmont High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
11.1 |
12.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.